According to various sources, Wal-Mart has started a major overhaul operation, involving a few thousand of its locations. To be more accurate, we're talking about approximately 3,500 stores, including 2,600 Supercenter locations. The reason? Well, Circuity City went down, leaving a large slice of the TV market for the taking... and that should be enough of a reason, don't you agree?
Ben Reitzes, Barclays Capital analyst, thinks this move is the last step before Apple products will invade Wal-Mart. "We believe Wal-Mart is actively pitching Apple to carry more products. With Wal-Mart improving its retail displays, we believe that the mega-retailer could eventually earn the right to sell select Mac products without diluting Apple’s brand," he said.
Since exposure is what Apple really needs, I am sure that being able to reach areas where its own distribution points aren't present is a really tempting thought, especially because many Wal-Mart stores are located exactly where Apple doesn't have any of its own stores - in rural areas.
Until now, Apple has been extremely careful when choosing who sells its Macs, but if the Cupertino-based company really wants to keep its growth rate, some of its own rules will have to be broken... or they should be happy with keeping a constant customer base and doing the best for them. After all, there doesn't have to be only one...